US3932758A - Method and apparatus for determining the dose value of neutrons - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for determining the dose value of neutrons Download PDF

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US3932758A
US3932758A US05/421,648 US42164873A US3932758A US 3932758 A US3932758 A US 3932758A US 42164873 A US42164873 A US 42164873A US 3932758 A US3932758 A US 3932758A
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neutrons
detector
dose value
thermal
dose
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US05/421,648
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Bertram Burgkhardt
Ernst Piesch
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Gesellschaft fuer Kernforschung mbH
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Gesellschaft fuer Kernforschung mbH
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01T—MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION
    • G01T3/00—Measuring neutron radiation

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method of determining the dose value of neutrons leaving a body as thermal and intermediate neutrons after having been scattered in it and detected on the surface of the body by means of a detector for neutrons which is shielded against the thermal and intermediate neutrons not leaving the body.
  • This method of measurement which is also called albedo dosimetry, is based on the principle that high-energy neutrons leave a body as thermal and intermediate neutrons after having been scattered in it and are detected on the surface of the body by means of a detector for thermal neutrons.
  • the albedo factor for thermal neutrons defined as the thermal neutron fluence scattered by the body relative to the total neutron fluence entering the body, shows an over-sensitivity of up to a factor of 4 to directly incident thermal neutrons as against intermediate neutrons.
  • albedo dosimeters When using a cadmium or boron shield, albedo dosimeters do furnish an approximately equivalent-dose correct reading of thermal and intermediate neutrons up to energies of 10 keV, but albedo dosimeters will be able to detect fast neutrons only with a low sensitivity corresponding to some 1-5% of the sensitivity to intermediate neutrons. Hence, it is not meaningful in the opinion of experts to use this type of detectors for the detection of fast neutrons.
  • Non-photographic nuclear track detectors are now increasingly being introduced in routine monitoring surveys.
  • One possible solution to this problem consists in the fact that another detector is used to measure another dose value of the thermal and intermediate neutrons not leaving the body, the two dose values are coupled, a first correction factor is taken from a calibration diagram, and that the correct dose value is calculated from the dose value of the first detector.
  • the first correction factor for the first does value can be determined as a function of the quotient of the two dose values.
  • Another possible solution of the problem is characterized in that a second detector is used to measure a second dose value of the thermal and intermediate neutrons not leaving the body, the second and the first dose value are coupled, and a first correction factor is taken from a first calibration diagram, that a third dose value is measured by a third detector completely shielded against thermal neutrons, that this dose value and the second dose value are coupled and that a second correction factor is taken from a second calibration diagram corresponding to the first calibration diagram and that in this way the correct dose value is calculated from the dose value of the first detector.
  • the first correction factor may be determined as a function of the quotient of the first and second dose values and the second correction factor may be determined as a function of the quotient of the difference of two of the dose values and one of the dose values.
  • the second correction factor can be determined as a function of the quotient of the difference of the second and third dose values and the third dose value.
  • a possible device for the execution of the first possible method is characterized in that the first detector is arranged on the inner bottom of pan-shaped form whose opening can be placed upon the body and that the second detector is arranged on the outer bottom of the form.
  • the form may have an edge resting upon the body, the form and the edge themselves being made of a material absorbing thermal and intermediate neutrons.
  • One device for the execution of another possible method is characterized in that the interior of a cylinder, whose bottom opening faces towards the body, contains two disks arranged at a certain distance from each other so as to form two cross sectional planes, the outer surface of one disk carrying the second detector, the space between the two disks holding the third detector and the outer surface of the second disk, which is close to the bottom opening of the cylinder, carrying the first detector and the cylinder and the second disk constituting a pan-shaped form.
  • the cylinder and the outer surface of the first disk and the inner space of the pan-shaped form may be surrounded by and lined with a plastic form.
  • the plastic form at the level of the bottom opening of the cylinder may have a support edge surrounding said cylinder.
  • the cylinder and the disks are made of a material absorbing thermal and intermediate neutrons, such as boron or a material containing boron.
  • this is achieved by covering the dosimeter pair with a boron capsule on the side facing away from the body so as to absorb incident neutrons and by separate measurement of the incident neutrons and the neutrons backscattered by the body by one dosimeter each on both sides of the boron encapsulation.
  • the ratio of readings of the two dose values is used to determine a frst correction factor.
  • the detectors used are pressed LiF-dosimeters of 3 ⁇ 3 ⁇ 1 mm 3 size which can be obtained commercially as TLD 600 and TLD 700 dosimeters.
  • the detectors were calibrated with a 137 Cs radiation.
  • the maximum annealing temperature during the measurement is 240°C.
  • regeneration was performed at a temperature of 400°C (1 h) and 100°C (2 h). Because of non-uniform sensitivities of the single dosimeters differing by more than ⁇ 5% within a batch, each dosimeter was calibrated individually before the beginning of the series of measurements. Moreover, it was ensured that the individual calibration factor is not changed by regeneration.
  • the TLD 700 dosimeter is regarded as being sufficiently insensitive to thermal neutrons for the measurements anticipated. Its reading is a measure of the gamma dose.
  • TLD 600 besides the gamma radiation also indicates thermal neutrons, because of its high 6 Li-content. The difference in readings between TLD 600 and TLD 700 indicates the neutron fraction of the radiation.
  • both TLD 600 and TLD 700 show a similar supralinear behavior to gamma radiation above 200 rem.
  • the fraction of the reading simulated as a neutron fraction in difference formation by the small differences in the gamma sensitivities of TLD 600 and TLD 700 is less than 10% for gamma doses up to 1000 rem and less than 20% of the measured gamma dose up to 10 5 rem.
  • the difference in readings between TLD 600 and TLD 700 is proportional to the equivalent dose for neutrons in the dose range between 20 rem and 1000 rem and above this dose shows a more favorable supralinear behavior in contrast to the gamma dose reading.
  • a maximum factor of 1.75 it is possible to extend the neutron dose range up to 10 5 rem.
  • Gamma and neutron dose fractions can be separated as long as either of the two dose fractions contributes at least 10% to the total dose.
  • the albedo dosimeter containing TLD 600 and TLD 700 as the detectors accordingly is able to detect fast neutrons, for instance of a 252 Cf source, over a dose range between 20 mrem and 10 5 rem.
  • fast neutrons for instance of a 252 Cf source
  • the energy dose can be measured instead of the equivalent dose.
  • a detector system of this type according to the present invention is outlined in greater detail below by means of FIG. 1.
  • a familiar pan-shaped form 1 was used as a boron capsule which represents an optimization of the capsule size (dia. 48 mm) and the depth of the first detector D 1 on the inner bottom 2 in capsule 1 (9 mm) with respect to discrimination of the neutrons incident from the body 3.
  • the wall thickness is 3 mm and corresponds to an attenuation factor of 1000 for thermal neutrons.
  • the opening 4 rests upon the body 3, as does an edge 5 surrounding it to shield against neutrons incident from the side.
  • the second detector D 2 freely rests on the outside bottom 6 of the form and capsule 1, respectively (incidentally, it is possible to use for each detector D 1 , D 2 and detector D 3 in FIG. 4-6 two LiF ( 6 Li, 7 Li) platelets each positioned side by side).
  • This detector D 2 is used to measure the neutron fraction scattered by the environment (intermediate and thermal neutrons) without absorption.
  • a 1 mg 252 Cf source with an effective source flux of 2.1 ⁇ 10 9 n/sec was used together with a 10 Ci 238 Pu-Be source. Exposures were made at 1.4 m height above ground (concrete) in a hall of 10 ⁇ 20 m 2 size and 10 m height and at distances of 5, 3, 2, 1 and 0.5 m from the source. Exposures to the 252 Cf source were made in the open air and behind various shieldings. The materials selected for the 5 cm thick shield were PVC, concrete aluminum, and iron.
  • the additional detection of neutrons backscattered from the environment changes the relative dosimeter sensitivity of the albedo dosimeter 7 by a factor of up to 4.
  • a dose measurement is possible only by additional correction of the neutrons incident from the outside, e.g. by separate measurement of the incident and the backscattered neutrons, for instance, through the ratio of readings of the dose values D 2 /D 1 .
  • FIG. 2 shows the dose values of the detector D 1 indicated in R/rem plotted over the quotient of the dose values, measured by means of detectors D 1 and D 2 of the albedo dosimeter system 7.
  • the measured results of the 252 Cf and 238 Pu-Be exposures show that there is a functional relationship between the dosimeter sensitivity of the detector D 1 and the ratio of readings of the detectors D 2 /D 1 .
  • the deviation of the readings from a mean straight line G 1 is within ⁇ 20%.
  • the assignment by means of straight line G 2 of the dosimeter sensitivity of the detector D 1 to the corresponding ratio of readings D 2 /D 1 is a factor of 2.5 smaller for 14 MeV neutrons.
  • the increased dose sensitivity to the occurence of fast neutrons obviously and exclusively is due to thermal neutrons.
  • albedo dosimeters In order to be able to measure also intermediate neutrons true to the dose equivalent, albedo dosimeters have been build which include a third detector according to the present invention and are represented in FIG. 4-6.
  • FIG. 4 shows one embodiment in which a cylinder open on both sides and made of a neutron absorbing material, e.g., materials containing boron or lithium, or Cd, is surrounded by a plastic form 9.
  • the interior 10 of the cylinder 8 is subdivided by two disks 11 and 12 forming two cross sectional planes. Also these two disks 11 and 12 are made of a material absorbing neutrons, such as boron.
  • the outside surface 14 of the upper disk 11 carries the detector D 2 , the space 15 between the two disks 11 and 12 the third detector D 3 , and the outside surface 16 of the disk 12 facing towards the opening 13 the detector D 1 .
  • the third detector D 3 thus is completely surrounded by neutron absorbing material, while detector D 2 is unprotected and detector D 1 can be hit only by thermal neutrons energing from the body not shown in greater detail.
  • the whole arrangement is surrounded by the plastic form 9 which also closes the bottom opening 13 and at the same time supports the detector D 1 with a pan-shaped structure 17.
  • the plastic form 9 forms an edge 18 which is placed upon the body not shown in greater detail.
  • the outside surface 14 of the disk 11 is covered by a slide lock and bayonet catch, respectively, also made of plastic. After opening of this lock 19 the components of the albedo dosimeter 7 can be taken from the plastic form 9.
  • FIG. 5 shows another embodiment which has a rectangular shape in cross section.
  • a shielding 20 made of a neutron absorbing material, e.g. boron, which has a rectangular cross section.
  • the interior 10 again is subdivided by the two disks 11 and 12, the third detector D 3 being installed in the interim space 15.
  • the outside surface 14 of the disk 11 again carries the detector D 2
  • the surface 16 of the disk 12 carries the detector D 1 , which may be coupled with another detector D 4 for measurement of the gamma component of the incident radiation.
  • the same arrangement may be made for the other detectors D 2 and D 3 .
  • the two disks 11 and 12 again are made of a neutron absorbing material.
  • the shielding 20, as the disks 11 and 12, are again surrounded by a plastic form 21 adapted to the cross sectional shape of the shielding 20 and the cross sectional shape, now rectangular, of the disks 11 and 12 (see FIG. 6).
  • This plastic form 21 has an edge extending all around its circumference as shown in the arrangement according to FIG. 4, but the bottom opening 13 of the shielding 20 again is closed by the pan-shaped structure 17 which constitutes a support for detectors D 1 and D 4 and has a bottom 22 resting upon the surface of the body not shown in greater detail.
  • This embodiment can be used for automatic evaluation, because the detectors D 1 , D 2 and D 3 , and D 4 , respectively, can be arranged on evaluation cards.
  • FIG. 6 shows a view of this embodiment according to FIG. 5.
  • the plastic form 21 has two extensions 23 and 24 in which holes 25 and 26 are provided. These extensions 23, 24 and these holes 25, 26, respectively, are used for the attachment of a belt.
  • the detector D 1 is used to detect dose values which correspond to the dose of the incident neutrons by measurement of the neutrons backscattered by the body, especially thermal neutrons.
  • the detector D 2 which rests on the outer surface of the albedo dosimeter 7, measures the incident thermal and intermediate neutrons and, to a certain percentage, also the incident fast neutrons.
  • the detector D 3 which is surrounded on all sides by neutron absorbing material, detects dose values of intermediate neutrons which may impinge upon it through the boron shielding. All the thermal neutrons are retained by the boron shielding.
  • the dose value of the detector D 1 is used and corrected by means of correction factors.
  • the first correction factor k 1 from the calibration diagram according to FIG. 3 is determined for it from the quotient of the dose values of the detector D 2 relative to the detector D 1 for the thermal neutron fraction.
  • another correction factor, k 2 is applied to it for the intermediate neutron fraction, which is a function of the quotient of the difference of two dose values of two detectors and one dose value of one of the detectors. In particular, this is the difference of the dose value of the second detector D 2 and the dose value of the third detector D 3 which is divided by the dose value of the detector D 3 .
  • a second calibration diagram is elaborated which approximately corresponds to the first calibration diagram according to FIG. 3 (but is not shown in more detail).
  • the equivalent dose D n of the neutrons over the entire energy range then results from the dose value of the detector D 1 to which first the first correction factor k 1 and then the second correction factor k 2 is applied, or vice versa.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • High Energy & Nuclear Physics (AREA)
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  • Measurement Of Radiation (AREA)
  • Analysing Materials By The Use Of Radiation (AREA)
US05/421,648 1972-12-08 1973-12-04 Method and apparatus for determining the dose value of neutrons Expired - Lifetime US3932758A (en)

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DE2260094A DE2260094C2 (de) 1972-12-08 1972-12-08 Vorrichtung zum Bestimmunen des Äquivalent-Dosiswertes von Neutronen mit einem innerhalb einer Abschirmung angeordneten Albedo-Neutronendetektor
DT2260094 1972-12-08

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US (1) US3932758A (de)
JP (1) JPS5653713B2 (de)
DE (1) DE2260094C2 (de)
FR (1) FR2209940B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1446625A (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4383179A (en) * 1980-09-08 1983-05-10 Yossi Eisen Neutron dosimeter
US4506157A (en) * 1981-01-14 1985-03-19 Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gmbh Thermoluminescence dosimeter taking account of tissue depth of dose
US4588898A (en) * 1982-05-25 1986-05-13 Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe Gmbh Apparatus for measuring dose energy in stray radiation fields
KR100437864B1 (ko) * 2002-08-26 2004-06-30 한국수력원자력 주식회사 변위손상을 이용하는 반도체형 중성자 탐지소자의열화현상 방지 방법 및 그 장치
US6930311B1 (en) 2003-05-21 2005-08-16 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Lightweight neutron remmeter
US20130204578A1 (en) * 2010-06-23 2013-08-08 Arktis Radiation Detectors Ltd. Method for Obtaining Information about a Radiation Source or a Material Interacting with a Radiation Source and a Measurement Setup for Performing the Method
IT201900009741A1 (it) * 2019-06-21 2020-12-21 Istituto Naz Fisica Nucleare Dosimetro personale indossabile per neutroni

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9625209D0 (en) 1996-12-04 1997-01-22 British Nuclear Fuels Plc Improvements in and relating to instruments
JP2020051945A (ja) * 2018-09-27 2020-04-02 株式会社トプコン 非破壊検査システム、中性子照射源及び中性子照射方法

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3290500A (en) * 1964-05-15 1966-12-06 Mohammed S Bokhari Fast neutron spectrometer utilizing lithium containing films
US3792280A (en) * 1972-11-03 1974-02-12 Us Air Force Isotropic neutron spectrometer

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1464950A1 (de) * 1964-07-04 1969-04-10 Kernforschung Gmbh Ges Fuer Dosimeter zur akkumulierten Dosisbestimmung von Gamma- und Neutronenstrahlung
US3372275A (en) * 1966-05-27 1968-03-05 Atomic Energy Commission Usa Neutron film dosimeter using multiple filter

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3290500A (en) * 1964-05-15 1966-12-06 Mohammed S Bokhari Fast neutron spectrometer utilizing lithium containing films
US3792280A (en) * 1972-11-03 1974-02-12 Us Air Force Isotropic neutron spectrometer

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4383179A (en) * 1980-09-08 1983-05-10 Yossi Eisen Neutron dosimeter
US4506157A (en) * 1981-01-14 1985-03-19 Kernforschungsanlage Julich Gmbh Thermoluminescence dosimeter taking account of tissue depth of dose
US4588898A (en) * 1982-05-25 1986-05-13 Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe Gmbh Apparatus for measuring dose energy in stray radiation fields
KR100437864B1 (ko) * 2002-08-26 2004-06-30 한국수력원자력 주식회사 변위손상을 이용하는 반도체형 중성자 탐지소자의열화현상 방지 방법 및 그 장치
US6930311B1 (en) 2003-05-21 2005-08-16 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Lightweight neutron remmeter
US20130204578A1 (en) * 2010-06-23 2013-08-08 Arktis Radiation Detectors Ltd. Method for Obtaining Information about a Radiation Source or a Material Interacting with a Radiation Source and a Measurement Setup for Performing the Method
US9651505B2 (en) * 2010-06-23 2017-05-16 Arktis Radiation Detectors Ltd Method for obtaining information about a radiation source or a material interacting with a radiation source and a measurement setup for performing the method
IT201900009741A1 (it) * 2019-06-21 2020-12-21 Istituto Naz Fisica Nucleare Dosimetro personale indossabile per neutroni
WO2020255080A1 (en) * 2019-06-21 2020-12-24 Istituto Nazionale Di Fisica Nucleare Personal wearable dosimeter for neutrons

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2209940B1 (de) 1977-09-30
DE2260094C2 (de) 1983-12-08
GB1446625A (en) 1976-08-18
FR2209940A1 (de) 1974-07-05
JPS501789A (de) 1975-01-09
DE2260094A1 (de) 1974-06-12
JPS5653713B2 (de) 1981-12-21

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